The present invention relates to an IC card terminal apparatus capable of realizing various functions by inserting an IC card held by a user and to an IC card used in the apparatus.
An IC card terminal apparatus such as an IC card telephone apparatus can be used by inserting an IC card, in which individual information of a card holder is stored, into the apparatus main body. The IC card terminal apparatus generally comprises an IC card interface, a control unit, and a display unit, exchanges data with the IC card through the IC card interface, and displays a message such as guidance to a user on the display unit as needed.
In a conventional IC card terminal apparatus, a language of a message displayed on the display unit is fixed in accordance with the specification of the apparatus. For example, a message is displayed in Japanese in an IC card terminal apparatus installed in Japan, a message is displayed in English in an IC card terminal apparatus installed in the United States of America, and a message is displayed in German in an IC card terminal apparatus installed in Germany.
In the conventional IC card terminal apparatus, as described above, a language of a message is fixed. Therefore, when a message for guidance or the like is displayed on an IC card terminal apparatus to be used in a language which cannot be understood by a card holder, the user cannot smoothly use the IC card terminal apparatus. In addition, the specifications of IC card terminal apparatuses must be changed depending on countries in which the apparatus are installed, general-purpose apparatuses cannot be exported, and low-cost apparatuses cannot be obtained.